Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-05
THE FOURTH.
Icoxr1SUnD FROM FIRST rAeH.l


Senator Booth The tables were amply
ard sumptuously spread with substantials
and delicacies and with wines and cham
pagnes to the taste,
The speeches at the bauquets of the pio
neers are always of deep interest, mingled
as they usually are with "reminiscences of
trials and side-splitting sports of early
times, but on these Independence Day
occasions the sternest and warmest currents
of patriotism run through the expressions
of all speakers. While it would be i'm
possible for a pioneer banquet to be held
without large supply of fun and good
| fellowship being brought out and fired of,
the eloquent and fergid speeches, hrim-
ming with patriotism, love OF country and
! its institutions, which were there listened to
Yesterday would do honor to any body of
patriots, and on any occasion. The
extended space occupied in giving a full
report of the Grafton and general exercises
of the day, precludes giving more than
! brief reference to the many excellent
| speeches made at the banquet. Mr. Ches-
| lev, who is always a host on such occasions,
was at his best, and kept the guests at
high tide OF patriotic and social expression
and entertainment.
| At the opening Of toast-giving. ex-Gov-
ernor Perkins was called upon TO respond
!
spoke elegantly and wittily. In his re-
marks he confessed that he was not Pio-
| neer, but said he would have been if he
| had been consulted upon the subject. He
came TO California in early days, but rot
upon a trail through the deserts, but came
around the Horn when there was no track
or trail to follow. He warmly compli-
inented Sacramento, as the brightest gem of
| the Coast.
| Regrets were received from Senator Stau-
| ford, General Bidwell and others, that they
were not able to be present.
| The next speaker called out was ex-Sen-
ator Booth, who, in referring to the revo-
luton of our forefathers, gave some inter-
esting figures concerning the cost of the
country's struggle for liberty. He said that
Jefferson estimated the cost of the Revolu-
ton at Sl40 600, 900, and Hildreth, placed it
at $4,000, 900. At the close of the war
| the Government was in debt $4,000, 900,
and the States $30,000,000, making total
| of S70,00O,000. In 1884 the people were so
| poor that the expense of running the Gov
eminent was reduced in the estimates for
the year to Si02, 900. In 1856 the Govern
ment bad to provide for a little over
s., 600 O00-less than the revenue of
the Government at the present time
for ten days-and it could not
raise the amount John Adams had 10
sell our bonds at less than so cents in order
| to raise money to meet the interest. In
| l776-1ll years ago day, when Congress
met in Philadelphia, that was the largest
| city in the United States, but was not quite
as large as Sacramento is now. New York
was a city of about 10000 population.
Boston contained only about 5000 people.
The meeting in Carpenter Hall, in Phila-
delphia, on the 4th of July, Ill years ago
had much of dramatic interest. A horse
stable was located next to the hall, and
| furnished a full supply of flies These
Lighting upon the legs of the Congressman
below the short Continental pants, kept
| the forefathers busily fighting flies from
| the lower sections of their limbs.
Referring to the great men of the Revou-
| tionary era, Mr.. Booth said that when in
our time great men were needed for great
emergencies they came. Our great civilian,
Abraham Lincoln, came from lawyers
office. and our great soldier, General Grant,
from a leather shop.
| n. Greene Curtis was the next speaker
| He said that III years ago day the Gov
eminent was in debt, and John Adams was
over in Holland trying to sell bonds. If
they had only let the California Pioneers
know it they would have paid the debt and
be done with it, [Great laughter The
Judge then made highly patriotic speech,
and referring to the adoption of the Decla
ration of Independence, spoke of the man
being stationed in the belfry, ready
| to ring the bell, and boy stationed
at the door of the Convention to give him
| the signal when the adoption was an
nounced; the boy receiving the message to
| transmit, and sending it aloft with loud
voices and swinging of arms. "Ring the
bell it has passed. Ring the bell" RISG
THE BELL ~"
Rev. A. c. Herrick in responding to the
call of the master of ceremonies, said it
| was his first visit to the Pioneers rooms
| he was greatly pleased with the occasion
| and the guests, and thought he saw many
| that looked like ministers. At this remark,
Mr.. Chesley got up promptly and taking
the remark all to himself, bowed his
Acknowledgements to the compliment
| [Great laughter
District Attorney Elwood Bruner re-
| sponded TO call, making some very felicit-
Gus remarks. He regarded Washipgton's
greatest service to the country, not as a
| military officer nor as President, but in his
influence and the acceptance by the States
OF his advice in adopting the Federal Con-
stitution. 1t was the critical time in the
| formation of our Government, and when the
Constitution was being considered by the
| thirteen States and hesitating, Washington
| urged its adoption and promised that its
unsatisfactory parts would be amended,
and the unity of the States and perpetuity
of the Government be thus established
aud maintained His advice turned the
scale and saved the country. The pioneers
OF California, he thought, were equally de-
serving of lame as The Revolutionary
| fathers. The latter were compelled to fight
| to save themselves, their property and
their liberty. Those who came in early
| times to this coast left all they had behind
left their girls in their homes, and came
| across treeless and trackless deserts and
found and established this great and grand
commonwealth.
Rev Carroll NJ Davis, while he desired
not to detract from the luster of the fore
| fathers, thought the grand work done by
| the Pioneers who established this unequaied
heritage upon the Pacific coast. and erected
| here one of the proudest States in the ma
| ton, had wrought equally well for their
! posterity with the fathers of revolutionary
times. He hoped the future work of the
native sons and daughters would perpetuate
the work in a manner that should be
worthy sons and daughters of such grand
pioneers. He also atiuded to times OF 1776
and their results.
Among other speakers who responded In
patriotic and pleasing remarks, were Hon.
| W. G. Hendricks, Secretary of State Hon.
Ira g. Hoitt, State Superintendent OF Pub
lie Instruction; e. w. Maslin, Secretary OF
the State Board of Equalization Hon. H.
Nj. LaRue, Senator +. r. Dray, w H.
| Robinson, Secretary Of the Stockton So.
ciety Of Pioneers; Mr.. Simms, President of
the Elk Grove Parlor of Native Sons A.
Logan, Chief of the Galedonian Society of
Sacramento; j. S. Miller and others. 1t
would be interesting 10 give full report of
| the speeches if space permitted. striking
| feature in the remarks of nearly all the
speakers, and which has not before been
alluded to for want of space, was express
sions against Socialists and Communists,
and in favor of excluding from ftlfure i'm,